Improvement in dental-floss carriers



A. P. MERRILL. Dental Floss Carrier.

Patente( i l\.pri| 8, 1-879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED P. MERRILL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y,

IMPROVEMENT IN DENTAL-FLOSS CARRIERS.

Specification fonning part of Letters Patent No. 213.997, dated April 8, 1879; application filed December 22, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. P. MERRILL, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Dental-Floss Carriers, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification,

- reference being had to the accom panyiu g drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a longitudinal 'central section. Fig. 2 is a front view. Fig. 3 is a front view of the catch and knife on an enlarged scale.

The object of my invention is to make a dental floss carrier which shall be simple, cheap, and effective, to be used for cleaning between the teeth and dressing down fillings.

To construct my device, take a piece of wire of the required size and length, bend the part to be used for the upper end of the carrier bow shape. The end of this wire is flattened, the edges sharpened, and a slit cutin it. This 'makes the catch A, through which silk is passed and knotted, and also a cutting-knife, b, as shown in Fig. 3. About the center of the wire B, and secured to it, is the stationary cap 0, on the side of which is the catch or slit a, as shown in Fig. 2.

The spooler D consists of a cap of the same diameter as the stationary cap 0, with a ring soldered on the upper end, so as to be flush with the face of the cap. 0n theinside of and in the center of this cap is a hollow shaft, which is soldered to the bottom end of the cap. This cap has aholein the bottom,of the same size as the shaft. To the upper end of the shaft is secured a head of suflicient size to readily revolve in the stationary cap 0. This makes a reel for winding the silk on. (See Fig. 1.)

' The spooler D is slipped on over the wire B and placed up against the stationary cap 0,

' upon which it revolves. The handle E is bored out of suflicient size to easily slip on over the wire B. The lower end of the wire B contains screw-threads G, on which the thumb-screw F is turned. H is the silk used for cleaning between the teeth. The spooler tightens or slackens the silk, and the thumb-screwF sets the spooler D. (See Fig. 1.)

In using the dental-floss carrier, first slacken the thumb-screw F to allow suflicient space for winding the silk on the spooler D; pass the end of the silk through the catch a of the stationary cap 0 to and through the catch A of wire B; then tie a large enough knot in the end of the silk to prevent its slipping through the catch A. The silk H is tightened up by revolving spooler D with the thumb and forefinger on the ring of the spooler cap. Turning the thumb-screw F sets the spooler D. In inserting the carrier in the mouth, pass the silk H between the teeth. After being used, slacken the thumb-screw F and revolve the spooler D until the soiled silk H has passed through the catch A. Pressing wet silk H against the knife 1) outs it. Knot as before, and it is again ready for use.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- In a dental-floss carrier, the combination of the wire B, catch A, cutting-knife b, stationary cap 0, with its catch a, spooler D, with its connections, and handle E, screw-threaded at G, and thumb-screw F, substantially as shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 18th day of December, 1877 ALFRED P. MERRILL.

In presence of- CHARLES G. 00E, LOUIS W. FROST. 

